Determination of the Effect of Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum L.) on the Ripening Parameters of White Cheese

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reveal the effect of Lepidium sativum L. on the ripening characteristics of White cheese. A control White cheese without garden cress and White cheeses with four different concentrations of garden cress (0.6-1.2-1.8-2.4%) were produced and their dry matter, fat, and protein contents; pH and titratable acidity levels; water-soluble nitrogen (WSN) and trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen (TCA-SN) were determined and electrophoretograms showing α- and β-casein degradation rates were obtained for the storage of 90 days. The addition of garden cress did not affect WSN and TCA-SN values significantly (P>0.05). Both α- and β- casein degradations increased with storage; the latter being relatively less broken down. The degradation levels for α-casein were similar for all cheese types while β-casein was more degraded when garden cress was included in the cheeses. There was no statistically significant difference between cheese samples in terms of sensory properties (P>0.05). The results suggest that garden cress may carry a β-casein specific protease and could be conveyed with White cheese successfully. This study will contribute to the limited knowledge on the utilization of garden cress in food products. Also, the application of garden cress is thought to expand the product variety in the market.